In brief
Trump’s son‑in‑law Jared Kushner and US negotiator Steve Witkoff are set to travel to Moscow on Saturday and meet with President Vladimir Putin, followed by a visit to Kyiv on Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed his willingness to hold talks with the envoys and pledged to secure Russian airspace for Ukraine. The trip marks a significant step as the US attempts to negotiate an end to the conflict, though Russian demands for extensive territorial concessions remain at odds with Kyiv’s stance. Despite recent drone attacks on Ukrainian security offices, the meetings signal a potential breakthrough in a war that has claimed thousands of lives.
US Negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will visit Russia and Kyiv this weekend, as efforts to end the war appear to be gathering pace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed he will meet with the envoys on Sunday, after they visit Moscow on Saturday to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Witkoff and Kushner have led US President Donald Trump’s attempts to broker a peace deal, but a gulf remains between the warring sides.
Earlier on Friday, Zelensky reported a Russian drone strike on the office of Ukraine’s security chief Oleksandr Poklad in Kyiv; Poklad was unharmed. In a post on social media, Zelensky ordered Poklad to respond "adequately" to the attack.
Although Trump’s envoys have visited Russia multiple times, these talks will be the first in Ukraine.
Zelensky said he would guarantee the safety of Russian airspace during the envoys’ visit and called for Russia to do the same for Ukraine.
The Russian state news agency Tass said Witkoff and Kushner were expected to arrive in Moscow and then Kyiv on 5–6 September, quoting a source.
It was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov that any contacts would be disclosed thereafter.
Meanwhile, Putin told an international economic forum that there were "chances" a peace deal could be reached, insisting that Moscow and Kyiv must first agree between themselves. He did not indicate any change from his maximalist demands, which include more territorial concessions from Ukraine. Kyiv and its European allies have repeatedly rejected Putin’s terms, calling them tantamount to capitulation.
Russia launched a full‑scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and currently controls about 20% of its territory.
